Date Received: 2019-05-01
Issue: Opening an account
Subissue: Didn't receive terms that were advertised
Consumer Complaint: opened a One Deposit bank account with Citizens Bank in XX/XX/XXXX after receiving multiple marketing emails from them stating that I would receive a {$200.00} bonus if I deposited {$500.00} into the account within 30 days. On XX/XX/XXXX I deposited that {$500.00}. In XX/XX/XXXX, I called to check on my {$200.00} bonus and was told it could take a while to show up in my account. I then called back in XX/XX/XXXX and was told to call back in two weeks because the bonus should apply at the end of the month. So I called back a few weeks later and was told it could take up to 90 days. In total I called 6 times, those dates are XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. After 90 days I called the customer support team again and was told that they would have to contact their marketing team. I was assigned a case manager who never answered any of my calls and called me back 5 days later to inform me that the bonus would not ever apply to my bank account because Citizens Bank does not have the correct link they need to apply the bonus. Instead of them finding verification that their link doesn't work properly, they decided to ask me if I had a 4-month-old confirmation email from them. After 5 months of being told to wait for my bonus, which I am entitled to because I followed the rules that were laid out for me, I am being told that this bonus does not apply to me. This is a scam. My case manager claims she has no control over it and the fact that her customer service agents are incompetent and told me I would receive my bonus. She also stated that this happens often and usually clients are able to produce the emails. Which only tells me that Citizens Bank is not properly handling these bonuses. Again, this is a scam. It is deceptive to have someone add funds to a bank account under the guise of a bonus then claim they are not going to receive it because they didn't save a 4-month-old email. I would like to receive my bonus as it was promised to me when I opened the bank account using this link https : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19144
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-05-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-05-01
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Problem accessing account
Consumer Complaint: XXXX CITIZENS BANK ACQUIRED XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX IN XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX THEREAFTER. WE ARE HAVING DIFFULTY LOCATING SEVERAL ACCOUNTS IN THE NAME XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX SS # XXXX OPEN IN XX/XX/XXXXAND SEVERAL ACCOUNTS IN THE NAME OF XXXX XXXX XXXX AND XXXX XXXX XXXX ( DECEASED XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX ). PLEASE FURISH ALL RECORDS ON ALL ACCOUNTS.
Company Response:
State: AR
Zip: 72712
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-05-01
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-30
Issue: Closing on a mortgage
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: It has come to my attention that an equity line of credit that was paid off in XXXX is on the title of my home.. I have tried since XX/XX/XXXX to get this handled. I have been sent the wrong release of lien 5 times. Just this month I have sent the request 3 times ( XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ) I have a case number XXXX reference number XXXX and case number XXXX. I have made multiple phone calls. Each time I'm told it will be handled in 3 to 5 days. I have not heard back from anyone on this matter.
Company Response:
State: MI
Zip: 48183
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-05-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-29
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: My mother has passed away. I am trying to assume the mortgage. This company had told me i could assume the mortgage and is not complying with my signed request for documentation required for the process which they sent me The have had my request handled by multiple departments. Now nothing is happening for me to proceed and all departments tell me this situation is handled by another department. I have been approved as successor of interest and they have mishandled this situation terrible and refused to assist. This has gone on for 3 months.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19320
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-05-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-29
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Consumer Complaint: My identity was compromised while I was oversees serving in the U.S. Military between XXXX - XXXX. During this time several unauthorized inquiries were made on my account. I have included the dates & names of creditors below. I have never authorized any of these creditors to run a hard inquiry on my credit report. I demand these hard inquiries be removed from my credit report immediately. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX. XXXX
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 46060
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-04-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-26
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Banking errors
Consumer Complaint: So, without getting overly wordy, I will simply state the facts of the issue. I signed up for a checking account which had a bonus associated with. The bonus was tiered, in this case the higher the direct deposit received, the higher the bonus would be. The terms stated that if I opened the account in the month of XX/XX/2019 and received a single direct deposit of over {$2000.00} before XX/XX/2019 then I would receive a {$600.00} bonus by XX/XX/2019. There were also lower tier bonuses that would receive {$200.00} and {$400.00} bonuses for $ XXXX and $ XXXX direct deposits, respectively. I opened the account as stated in XX/XX/2019. A direct deposit then went into the account of {$1700.00} on XX/XX/2019. A direct deposit of {$2100.00} went into the account on XX/XX/2019. Since this was before the XX/XX/2019 deadline according to the terms, I imagined that I would receive a bonus of {$600.00} since I had gotten a single direct deposit of over {$2000.00}. For some reason, the bonus was actually paid out on XX/XX/2019 but I only received a bonus of {$400.00}. This went against my expectations ( based on the terms ) that the time limit to receive a qualifying direct deposit was by XX/XX/2019 and that the bonus would be paid out after this period ( by XX/XX/2019 ), again all according to the promotion 's terms. I wrote a message while logged onto the bank 's website explaining the issue on XX/XX/2019 but did not receive a reply except a system automated reply that my message was received. I then responded to this message acknowledgement asking if someone could please let me know what could be done. I received a response asking for more info in regards to the promotion or, the response advised, just to call the customer service number. I called on Friday XX/XX/2019 and spoke to a representative in regards to the issue. She put me on hold various times explaining that they could not find the promotion I had signed up for but to be patient. I was very courteous and understanding and the rep was also very friendly and courteous. After some time of her investigating with her supervisor, XXXX, she finally came back with an answer about the issue. However, it was more of a reason for which they believed I did not receive the {$600.00} bonus as I was expecting. She explained that, according to her supervisor, the terms and conditions state that only the first direct deposit qualifies for the bonus and that this was clearly written in the terms I had signed up for. I looked over the terms that I had screenshotted/printed and could not find any mention of the wording her supervisor was basing this decision on. I explained that nowhere in the terms that I saw did it have this wording so she asked me to wait and then connected me with her supervisor, XXXX ( as stated earlier ). XXXX almost instantly began explaining that the terms I had agreed to was that only the first deposit would be the qualifying one. I explained that the terms I saw and signed up for did not state that. She countered that she knew the promotion I was referring to and had seen that wording at the bottom there. I explained again that in the screenshots I had taken, it did not have any of this kind of wording and that furthermore it seemed like the system had given me the bonus earlier than expected. Had the system waited until after the qualifying period ( by XX/XX/2019 ), the higher bonus may have been paid out correctly. I then actually found the original web page that I had used to sign up ( complete with the terms and conditions ) still up and viewable on the CitizensBank.com web site ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ). This should have been more than enough evidence for her to see the terms I had seen and signed-up for. I had offered to give this page to the rep I spoke with originally but she had not said one way or another if she wanted the link. I offered to give the link to XXXX and she agreed to take the link. She seemed like she was writing it down. Since it's a bit confusing to give a web address over the phone I offered to repeat it she she could verify she had the correct address. She said she did not need it again. I then explained, stating that I was not frustrated at her and in a very respectful manner, that it was frustrating as a customer to get so much pushback on a bonus which, in my opinion, I qualified for fairly. She disputed this saying that they had to be very rigid with the bonus wording and that the wording stated that only the first direct deposit counted toward the bonus ( something which she had repeated various times during the conversation ) to which I once again countered by saying that the terms on the web page she could see herself did not say anything like that. At this point, the following actions she took are something that made the situation more frustrating than it already was. When I explained that these terms were not present on the web page that I had provided to her she explicitly stated that yes she could see the terms and that she would be putting me on a brief 2-3 minute hold. I waited on hold for a few minutes and when she came back she asked me to send the printout/screenshot I had taken. I explained that I would be happy to do this but also explained that the web page I had given her had the same info as when I signed up for the promotion. At this point, she once again explained that they could not do anything because of the wording regarding the first direct deposit being the only one that would count. I was taken aback once again and calmly explained that nowhere in the terms on the page did it say that. She stated that I had not given her any web site. Feeling like I was in an episode of XXXX XXXX XXXX, I paused and then confusedly explained that I had given her the web page already. She stated that the web page had not come up for her. At this point, I was taken aback even more as she had explicitly stated earlier that she was able to see terms on the web page and she had even placed me on a brief hold to review them. Apparently, now she changed that story to saying she could not see the page at all. I politely offered to verify the page address with her. Turns out she had a few things incorrectly typed in which we clarified/fixed. Once she was able to see the page, she once again said the same as before : she would be looking into this and would be putting me on a brief 2-3 minute hold, almost word for word what she had said earlier. When she came back, she stated that my only recourse was for me to see if the Marketing Team could help but that she could not do anything because of the wording that was in the terms and conditions ( for the 12th time or so, I had to explain again that this was not in the terms I saw and that I had signed up for and that she herself could see that ). This was an incredibly frustrating experience and I am simply amazed that rather than just look at the situation and say " hmm, it looks like the system made a small mistake because of the timing and due to the way it handled certain deposits ... we will just fix it and be done with it and have a happy customer. '' Instead, I am pointed to non-existent wording/terms as the reason why my issue can not be resolved. Furthermore, I will just add one more thing : the way that the initial rep came back excitedly over discovering the reason why ( they believed ) I had not received the bonus was very frustrating. Once she had given me the reason, she said nothing more and expected me to just go away I believe ( finding the reason was her resolution for me ). I work in XXXX and this would be almost as if someone came to me with a non-working laptop and asked for my help. After asking them to wait for almost an hour, I would come back to them and say " oh! it looks like the laptop is not working because the hard drive broke. Well, here 's your broken laptop back! ". Would they be satisfied with that resolution? No, of course not, they expect me to fix the issue ( a reason why it broke is sometimes desired but they didn't come to me for a reason, they came to me for a resolution ). Throughout the entire call, I was very polite and calm, but definitely very frustrated by what it seemed like was the bank 's way of trying any possible way they could to not have to help. I also just need to say, I am very sorry for the wordy explanation and also ... thank you very much for the help from everyone at the CFPB! This is my first time ever needing to get help through here and it has been a very painless experience thus far. Thank you so much for your service, once again.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 125XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-04-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-25
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Franklin American Mortgage Company ( FAMC ) is inappropriately handling our mortgage escrow account in two ( 2 ) respects : ( 1 ) wrongful withdrawal and wrongful retention of a loan installment and ( 2 ) wrongful retention of our escrow funds, both occurring after our mortgage loan was fully paid. FAMC acted wrongfully and likely illegally. FAMC misled us by making untrue representations and has violated its fiduciary duties owed to us as its customers with respect to our escrow funds and money wrongfully withdrawn from our daughters bank account. Our daughter lived in and owned ( with us to ensure successful financing ) a XXXX condo. FAMC held the mortgage on the condo until the condo was sold and the mortgage loan paid in full on XX/XX/2019 ( the payoff date is reflected on FAMCs records ). A. Wrongful withdrawal of installment after loan fully paid. Despite the payoff, FAMC withdrew {$1200.00} from our daughters checking account on XX/XX/2019 by means of an automatic withdrawal to pay the next installment which of course was not and is not owed. Our daughter has not yet been reimbursed for that wrongful withdrawal. We have spoken with several mortgage service individuals, not all of whom have been truthful. Reading online consumer complaints against FAMC, we believe this is yet another in a series of illegal acts and thus part of an ongoing illegal pattern or practice of holding money of others as long as possible to the benefit of FAMC and to the detriment of consumers such as us. Upon learning of the wrongful XX/XX/XXXX withdrawal, we called FAMC XX/XX/2019 and were told a check would be promptly issued and mailed to our daughter. That statement was not true. No check for that wrongfully withdrawn amount was issued or mailed. On XX/XX/2019 : 1 ) We called again and spoke with XXXX ( badge # XXXX ), who said the check had been issued and mailed ( which was not true - we learned last week that a {$1200.00} check was prepared on XX/XX/XXXX and would be mailed XX/XX/2019 ). 2 ) XXXX said that because we had not received the ( nonexistent ) {$1200.00} check, FAMC would issue a stop payment order on the check, re-issue it and we should expect to receive the new check around XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX. That statement was not true. 3 ) Our daughter updated her mailing address with FAMC and her mail is still being forwarded, so an address change is not an issue. On XX/XX/2019, we called again because we had not received the {$1200.00} check. We were told : 1. Due to our call on XX/XX/XXXX, the reimbursement check for FAMCs wrongful withdrawal ( {$1200.00} ) was never mailed, but instead that amount was returned to escrow. That statement was not true. 2. It would take two ( 2 ) business days to issue a check and it would be over-nighted no later than XX/XX/XXXX, so we could expect it by XX/XX/XXXX. That statement was not true. On XX/XX/2019, we called and spoke with XXXX. According to XXXX, the reimbursement check for FAMCs wrongful withdrawal ( {$1200.00} ) was still pending and should be issued/mailed by Saturday XX/XX/XXXX. He checked account file notes and reported there were none about over-nighting this check. He suggested we call back on XX/XX/XXXX ( a Saturday ) to obtain the tracking number for the reimbursement check to be mailed XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX asked that the mail department rush the check, but he could not promise his request would be granted. We called XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX. The reimbursement check for your wrongful withdrawal ( {$1200.00} ) was allegedly issued and mailed XX/XX/2019. We are impatiently awaiting its receipt ( not received as of XX/XX/XXXX ). B. Wrongful retention of escrow funds. Our escrow account balance after the loan was paid off equaled {$1300.00}. That balance ( our money ) should have been released to us immediately. FAMC is still wrongfully holding those funds as well. On XX/XX/2019, XXXX ( see above ) told us a check for the escrow balance ( {$1300.00} ) had already been mailed on XX/XX/XXXX. All of our daughters mail has been forwarded to her, with the mysterious exception of the alleged FAMC mail allegedly containing the escrow account balance check. During the XX/XX/XXXX telephone conversation noted above, we were told the remaining escrow balance check ( {$1300.00} ) mailed on XX/XX/XXXX was not truly late because it takes up to 5 business days for an FAMC check to be placed in the mail and from that point it could take up to 10 business days to arrive through the mail ( 15 business days = 3 weeks ). Service representative XXXX had no explanation why we had not received the escrow balance of {$1300.00}. XXXX reiterated it had been mailed on XX/XX/2019 and gave us the checks number allegedly, XXXX. XXXX offered to stop payment on that check and re-issue it. We decided to wait through the week because of the allegedly and abysmally slow FAMC mail process and because we did not want to wait another month to receive this check. Neither check has been received. As noted above, we called XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with service representative XXXX. She represented that XXXX will not even issue a stop payment order on the allegedly issued and allegedly mailed check # XXXX for {$1300.00} until XX/XX/2019 and that the check will be expedited for issuance, meaning it may be mailed in early XX/XX/XXXX! FAMCs actions are an excellent example of how a fiduciary is NOT to handle anothers money. FAMC inappropriately removed money from our daughters bank account after the loan had been paid in full. FAMC has inappropriately retained ( and is today still inappropriately retaining ) our escrow funds. Considering online complaints about FAMCs practices, we suspect this is being done intentionally and on a system-wide basis, thus constituting a pattern or practice of deception designed to make far more money for FAMC than any single customer can likely recover from FAMC. Has FAMC taken a page or two from XXXX XXXX playbook? Shame on FAMC. It knows better and certainly can do better.
Company Response:
State: ID
Zip: 838XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-05-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-25
Issue: Problem caused by your funds being low
Subissue: Overdrafts and overdraft fees
Consumer Complaint: On Sunday XX/XX/2019 I wanted to purchase an airplane ticket on XXXX XXXX, on their website, in the amount of XXXX When I submitted payment, using my Citizens Bank debit card, Interjet said that the payment was rejected. A few moments later, I received notification from Citizens Bank Fraud Division that suspicious activity had taken place ( my attempted purchase ) and that I should log on the Citizens website to confirm that it was a valid transaction. I indicated that it was a valid transaction, and I received a message telling me to wait one minute to re-try my purchase ; I did, and this time it was successful. A few days later I received notifications from Citizens, telling me that my balance was low, and then I had six ( 6 ) overdraft notifications and a overdraft transfer notification. After looking into my activity, I realized that Citizens Bank had put a hold on BOTH payment attempts, duplicating the funds used. I contacted Citizens Bank customer service on XX/XX/2019 and they were not helpful at all. Each overdraft comes with a {$35.00} fee, so this was a {$200.00} additional hit to me, and the transfer from my overdraft account ( $ 100.+ ) will also come with a {$12.00} or {$15.00} fee. As of XX/XX/2019 Citizens still has a hold on {$780.00}
Company Response:
State: CT
Zip: 06825
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-05-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-24
Issue: Trouble during payment process
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: We closed our new construction with XXXX XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. The escrows for taxes were based on our appraisal of XXXX until our County did their property assessment. The taxes they escrowed were XXXX XXXX XXXX / XXXX x XXXX ). In XXXX of XXXX, I confirmed that XXXX County had assessed our property at XXXX. This would bring my property taxes to XXXX per year. Since our County taxes are due semi annually, our bills are XXXX due XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX due XX/XX/XXXX. I contacted XXXX XXXX and explained the situation. They requested a copy of the real estate tax bill. I sent it in only to be told that an escrow analysis would not be done until XX/XX/XXXX. In XXXX of XXXX, I contacted a representative and explained that my escrows were showing XXXX on XXXX and XXXX on XXXX, which was incorrect. She asked that I send in yet another real estate bill for proof that my taxes were, in fact, XXXX and XXXX. I sent in the invoice and was told that an order was opened and to check back on XX/XX/XXXX. In the meantime, I kept checking my account and within XXXX hours, my taxes were corrected in the system to reflect XXXX due XXXX and XXXX due XX/XX/XXXX. They had cut us an overage check in the amount of XXXX leaving a balance of XXXX in our escrow account. As far as the amount being withheld every month, they still reflected the incorrect amount of XXXX which is well above the required XX/XX/XXXX. The correct amount should be XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I checked my account and they had changed the taxes, again. It was now reflecting a XXXX payment of XXXX and a XXXX payment of XXXX. I contacted them via email and stated that the taxes were incorrect. I also questioned why there was a balance of XXXX in our escrow account. This amount was well above the required XXXX escrow cushion. I sent in yet another copy of my tax bill and explained that if it was not corrected, I would file a complaint. They explained that an order was opened and it may take time. It is extremely frustrating. I am unsure as to why they can not get not only my taxes correct when I have sent them in 3 invoices as proof and why they can't properly calculate 1/12 of my total homeowners and property tax. Furthermore, I am unsure as to why they are holding more then 1/6 of total for cushion. I have attached my XXXX County Taxes and all correspondence between XXXX XXXX and myself.
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: 245XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-04-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-04-24
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Fee problem
Consumer Complaint: I am writing to you in the hope that a matter with my personal checking account with Citizens Bank can be properly resolved. On XX/XX/2019 I contacted Citizens Bank Customer Service alerting them to a serious problem with my checking account being used fraudulently. The Customer service representative spent almost an hour going over all the contested transactions that were fraudulently used against my account. The Case number for the investigation is/was XXXX. I was told that I would get all my money back and that there might be additional transactions added due to the totality of the fraud perpetrated. The first estimate was {$890.00} taken from my account. At the conclusion of our conversations the Customer Service representative again reassured me that I would receive all my money back and that she had to call me later on that day with a grand total. She said due to the amount of transactions being contested for fraud that the system was taking a longer time than usual and she would return a call later that day with the total. Later on XX/XX/XXXX, I was called back by the same Citizens Bank Customer Service Representative and she told me that she had found more charges totaling {$1300.00}. She told me that I should give them up to 10 business days to complete the investigation and she again reassured me that I would get all my money back. On or about XX/XX/XXXXI called Citizens Bank Customer Service requesting an update on my case and the gentleman that was helping me told me that the total had changed and that I would be getting back {$1300.00} no later than XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXXaround XXXX I contacted Citizens Bank Customer Service and asked where my deposit was at and did they have any information as to what time the deposit would be made. I was informed that my money would not be returned in full and that I would only receive {$590.00}. As you may imagine my initial shock was immediate and when I asked why wasnt I getting all of my money back I was told that the Claims Department needed to answer me as Customer Service couldnt provide me with an answer. They transferred me to Claims Department where it was explained that they would only go back so far on the fraudulent charges for reimbursement and that I would not receive a full payment as I was initially promised. The fraudulent charges began around the first of XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and I didnt make my first claim until XX/XX/2019. I realize that {$1300.00} is not a lot for a Bank that deals in hundreds of millions of dollars in daily business transactions and was once owned by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, but {$1300.00} is a considerable amount of money for me and my family. I am the sole breadwinner and my military retirement and paycheck are all that I have. I have been a faithful and good customer of your company for years and have had a wonderful Customer experience. I am deeply disturbed that I was told several times that I would be getting the full amount back even after the totals kept changing and did not get what was promised to me. I was reassured by every Customer Service Representative I was in contact with that I would receive the full amount in return due to this not being my fault in any manner whatsoever. I am now writing to you to get this resolved as I do believe as did your own Representatives that I should be reimbursed fully for {$1300.00}. Ive asked several times to speak to Claims and they refuse to accommodate and even acknowledge the huge discrepancies as to what I was promised by the Bank and what I actually received. The difference from what was taken minus what was sent to me is {$770.00} I am respectfully requesting your assistance in this matter and that I be reimbursed for the full amount of {$1300.00}, minus the already reimbursed {$590.00} for a total of {$770.00}
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 132XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-04-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A